Greetings, I don't think either aphids or spider mites can "hide" in soil (unlike mealy bugs which frequently can be subterranean). The problem is that aphids have winged adult forms and spider mites can float on the wind like dust. Even wingless aphids can be carried into your greenhouse by the ants who farm them. So you can only reliably exclude them from entering your greenhouse if it is hermetically sealed and you undergo decontamination prior to every entry. The greenhouse can act as a partial barrier, of course - but you should not rely on it to prevent infestation altogether. You'll still need to be vigilant and to utilize your preferred bio-control methods from time to time when pests re-establish themselves. -|<ipp ________________________________ From: pbs <pbs-bounces@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> on behalf of Sarah Hinckley <sarah-lists@suiattle.net> Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2018 2:46 PM To: Pacific Bulb Society Subject: [pbs] Debugging dormant bulb pots? Hello list-ers, I will be bringing my dormant bulb pots from the garage into the newly-cleaned greenhouse soon. I have had problems with pests (aphids, spider mites) in the greenhouse in the past. Does anybody know if either of these pests (or others) can hide in the soil in the plant pots of these dormant bulbs? They are mostly South African bulbs of various sorts in very free draining/sandy/gravelly mixes. If the pests can hide in the soil, is there a way to get rid of them before bringing the pots back into the greenhouse? best regards Sarah _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com//… <https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com//…> _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/…